Free Bird
by Vienna Lane
Summary: The last thing Dany Gutierrez wanted was to save the world. To her, she didn't owe anyone a damn thing. Dany's entire life had consisted of pain and disappointment, so if the world ended thanks to a power-hungry God of Mischief and his alien army, then so be it. Sadly, not everyone shared her views. So she had to be one of the heroes the world needed. [Thor x mutant!OC]
1. Chapter 1

_If I leave here tomorrow_  
 _Would you still remember me?_  
 _For I must be traveling on, now_  
 _Cause there's too many places I've got to see_  
 _But, if I stayed here with you, girl_  
 _Things just couldn't be the same_  
 _Cause I'm as free as a bird now_  
 _And this bird you can not change_

-Free Bird; **from Lynyrd Skynyrd**

* * *

 **Name:** _Dany Fernanda Gutierrez_

 **Date of Birth:** _1895_

 **Country of Origin:** _Chile_

 **Status:** _Alive_

 **Species:** _Feral Mutant_

 **Current Location:** _Canada_

 **Abilities:** _Enhanced strength; enhanced agility; heightened senses; retractable claws; accelerated healing factor; enhanced speed; geokinesis_

 **Background:** _Subjected to intense experimentation, resulting in Gutierrez's entire skeletal structure to be bonded with Adamantium. Date of experimentation unknown. Location unknown. Any information regarding it, other than what is already known, is either lost, destroyed, or hidden away. The Adamantium in Gutierrez's body was also bonded with the retractable claws on her fingers. Gutierrez's accelerated healing factor slows her aging process significantly, not only making it impossible to harm or kill her in any way, but to determine her actual age. Prone to violent outbursts, it is highly recommended to avoid any kind of abrupt, or otherwise tense, confrontations with her. Gutierrez is possibly the last living member of her family._

 **-0-0-0-0-**

"What's a 'feral mutant'?" Steve Rogers' eyes flickered from the documents and photos to the man standing in front of him. It hadn't been long since Nick Fury had been in the presence of the supersoldier, probably less than two and a half weeks. After Steve defrosted and was told of his unfortunate predicament, he was sent out to adjust to modern times. Naturally, Nick made sure to have some accommodations made on the soldier's behalf. An apartment was arranged, along with the first two monthly payments taken care of. A bank account was set up, with a fair amount of money set aside for personal fulfillment. Throw in some clothes and other personal items needed, and Steve would be taken care of until he managed to be self-sustaining. Of course, Steve would still be on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar until the Initiative called for him, but what Fury wanted from the supersoldier in that moment was assistance for a recruiting mission. In a way, Fury sort of felt _bad_ for Steve. The poor guy hadn't been out of the ice for even a _month_ and he was being asked to go out on a mission.

"Mutants are people born with the ability to gain superhuman powers," Fury answered, his eye flickering to the document in Steve's hand. "The scientific community says they're they next step in human evolution. While mutant abilities differ, the one thing they share in common is a single genetic mutation - which is how their community got their name."

Steve's brows furrowed. "I don't quite follow," he said.

With a sigh, Fury tried to think of a different way to explain it. "How much do you know on genetics?" he asked.

"Not a lot."

"Genetics makes us who we are," Fury said. "It makes _us_ " - a hand waved lazily between the two men - "human. For mutants, theirs is different than ours. They have a mutation in their make-up that unlocks powers that we've only _dreamed_ of having."

"And the feral part?" Steve arched a brow at that, at that point hoping to draw the conversation along. There were plenty of things about the subject he couldn't understand, but he's hoping to come close with some further investigating.

"Feral mutants have more animalistic qualities than regular mutants," Fury explained. "Their powers are determined upon which animal they bear similarities with."

"And her?"

"Gutierrez has an affinity for wolves. Which means her mutation shares many characteristics on what a wolf might have."

"Like?"

"Acute sense of smell; territorial; heightened hearing; known to attack when feeling threatened, sick, or hungry; goes towards isolation, but will socialize when necessary."

Steve looked down for a moment, observing the picture of the woman. She had long, curly hair. Dark circles decorated around narrow eyes. Her lips were somewhat drawn, bearing her teeth. Her document showed she was born in the late 1890s, but she looked like she wasn't a day older than her early thirties. Would an accelerated healing factor _really_ slow down the aging process that much? Was something like that even _possible_? Apparently, it was. Steve had to wonder how many people he'd encountered back in his time who were mutants. How common would they have been in the '40s or any time before that?

"Do you have an estimation on how many _mutants_ there are globally?" Steve asked.

Fury nodded. "It's speculated that there are millions of them worldwide," he responded. "They're considered a minority, considering humans outnumber them. Congress has been having an ongoing battle on whether or not there should be a mutant registry. It's been going on for years."

Steve frowned at that. "Are they threats?" he asked.

"Not all of them. Like humans, there are some who want to live peaceful lives, and others who want to cause problems. Plenty of humans believe that the only good mutant is one who's under constant supervision. Others want to work _with_ them, have an undisturbed coexistence."

"Is that what you want?"

"I want peace for everyone," Fury said. "I believe Dany can help bring about that peace. Same with you and the others."

Steve shrugged. "And if she says no?"

Fury simply shrugged and walked off. Once he reached Steve's apartment door, he looked back at him. "She's been located in some woodlands in Canada," he said. "You'll be coming with me to get prepared. Once we're over the location, let me do the talking. If the situation arises, and she attempts to attack, you'll do your thing."

He left before Steve could even open his mouth.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

It was a clear day out, the sounds of animals and insects filled Dany's ears as she leaned her back and head against the trunk of a cedar tree. She'd been living in the Canadian wilderness for a couple years; hunting, _living_. Dany flourished outside of human civilization. Years - _decades_ \- before, the feral mutant attempted to live peacefully with humans, she really did try. On multiple occasions, as a matter of fact. But each and every time, something bad would happen. Dany wanted to believe that maybe she had a place with humanity, but nothing she did, no matter how many things she changed or sacrificed, seemed to work in her favor. In one way or another, Dany's mutation would be exposed and she'd be driven out of the life she had built for herself. Then there was the whole experiment, and that was the final straw. After that, after the Adamantium had been infused into her skeleton, Dany chose to leave humanity behind. She chose to leave the _world_ behind. Working her way into Canada, Dany lived in the wilderness, living in her own world, allowing her feral nature to come out. It was better. It felt _good_.

Living in the Canadian wilderness was probably the best decision Dany Gutierrez had ever made. She could live the life she wanted. Dany could accept her mutation, not having to be scared that she might hurt someone. Outside of civilization, it was quickly understood that her feral side brought her closer to nature and her geokinetic abilities helped her create a sustainable living arrangement. It wasn't disrupting anything major, which meant that Dany was doing something good. It was a paradise.

Until one day.

The day she heard the sound of a helicopter overhead. Helicopters weren't uncommon; Dany heard them plenty of times before. But the one she was hearing sounded like it was coming closer, which wasn't good at all. A sense of panic rose in Dany's chest before it quickly transformed into anger and irritation. Part of her wanted to believe that maybe she was blowing it all out of proportion, that the helicopter wasn't coming for _her_ specifically. Dany had no living family left, as far as she was concerned. She'd left Chile in her adolescence when her mother was still alive. And if Dany were to be completely honest with herself, she didn't care enough to recall something that far back.

When the trees started rustling, Dany felt her body tense. She could feel the vibrations of countless animals running from the sound. One of the perks of geokinesis was being able to feel the vibrations of all living creatures. Anything with the capability of moving sent off waves of vibrations that Dany could feel. She could find a person or an animal for miles by the waves they gave off while walking or running. If they weren't moving, she'd be able to detect their vibrations through miniscule movements. Even the _tiniest_ twitches or tap of the foot was enough for Dany to go off of. And feeling all those nearby animals scurrying off sent a wave of protectiveness throughout the feral mutant's body. If the incoming helicopter wasn't coming for her, then she'd do everything in her power to scare the intruders off.

Scowling up at the sky, a deep growl worked its way from Dany's chest up her throat. Her mouth opened, showing her teeth. In some ways, Dany's teeth were somewhat similar to a human's, the only exception being her canines being longer. Not too long, just enough to make a bite more painful than it needed to be. Crouching, Dany extended her claws, the bright silvery color from the Adamantium making them sharper, giving them a bit of a curve. Causing more damage in a fight.

 _"It landed,"_ a small voice in the back of her head whispered. _"Aren't you going to check it out? Just to make sure?"_

Another growl ripped its way through Dany's body. She had to check it out; she couldn't afford to have anyone causing problems to her home. That was the _last_ thing she wanted. Quickly and easily maneuvering her way through some underbrush, Dany hoped to keep herself as concealed as possible. She wasn't going to risk getting herself noticed and shot at, even if her injuries could heal on the spot. Once she got to the landing spot, she noticed how different the helicopter looked from a typical one. It looked more high-tech, sleeker. Dany's brows furrowed in confusion. Who'd be taking something like _that_ into the Canadian wilderness? A hissing sound from the back of it caused Dany to go down, attempting to hide herself further. She made sure her claws were ready to go, her body positioned so she could easily pounce if she needed to.

"Ms. Gutierrez, we know you're out here." A man's voice. He sounded older. He wasn't alone either. There was someone else. "We've got heat scanners, you're hiding out here. Why don't you come out?" Dany didn't move. She'd prepared herself to attack, but she couldn't make herself. This guy knew her, the more civilized part of her. How? Dany didn't recognize his voice, so how could he know her? "Dany Fernanda Gutierrez," he called again. "That's your full name. Look, we're just here to talk. That's all. I know what you are, Ms. Gutierrez; you'd be doing us all a favor if you just come out and talk."

Taking a deep breath, Dany calmed herself down. Maybe she should listen to what this guy had to say. She wasn't going to fully turn off the feral side of her, but she'd bring out enough of her civilized side to have a reasonable conversation. If he tried something, she'd attack. Same for his companion. Keeping her claws out, Dany slowly stood up and made her way to where the man and his companion stood.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Hey, sorry for the wait on this chapter. I'm hoping you guys could give constructive criticism where you think it's needed. This is a bit out of my element, so any help I can get is appreciated. Writing a feral mutant is definitely harder than I thought it'd be, so anyone who's good at writing something like that, I'd love your help.**

 **I own nothing in the MCU. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in.**

 **Quick break-down for the story: This will be based in the 2012 AVENGERS movie. Since I am making this a Thor x OC story, there might be someone - or maybe no one, who knows? - who's wondering if Jane Foster and Thor are still a couple in regards to the amount of time that went by between the first THOR movie and the lead-up to the first AVENGERS. My answer is this: read the story if you're interested in that. Even though Jane's and Thor's relationship wasn't heavily mentioned in the actual movie, I'll have a few pieces in the story that talks about a relationship between them, whether it's romantic or friendly is still up for debate. I'm just hoping that made sense. Anyway, I will be mentioning the X-Men in this story, since I feel like they'll be very important later on. I'll explore more into Dany's past and her powers as the story progresses, as well.**

 **If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, leave a thought in the review section or PM me.**

 **Don't forget to leave your constructive criticism. I'd appreciate to know what you thought of this mess of a chapter.**

 **Thanks a bunch!**

 **Vienna Lane**


	2. Chapter 2

_I think it's so cute and I think it's so sweet_

 _How you let your friends encourage you to try and talk to me_  
 _But let me stop you there, oh, before you speak_

-No; **by Meghan Trainor**

* * *

From the second Dany stood up, her eyes never left theirs. She took in their appearance, even managing to get a whiff of their scent. They were human, Dany could tell that much, and one of them was enhanced, due to the weird smell he gave off. The benefits of heightened smell is being able to detect even the smallest changes in a living body. Sadly, with the enhanced human, she couldn't exactly pinpoint the standoffish smell he expelled. Dany's eyes narrowed when she noticed the men were scrutinizing her. They were looking at her as if she were some kind of science project.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Gutierrez." An African-American man with an eyepatch. He had been the one to talk before Dany revealed herself. She could see he held himself with an air of authority, of someone who wouldn't hesitate to act or kill if necessary. Dany could sense he wasn't alarmed by her animalistic appearance, a look glittering in his eye showing that she may not be the weirdest thing he'd ever come across.

"Get off my land," Dany called, her voice hoarse. It had been a while since she actually communicated with people, given she spent a number of years in the wilderness. The African-American man seemed unfazed by Dany's request, still scrutinizing her. His companion, however, couldn't contain his emotions very well. Eyepatch's companion held a shield; painted red, white, and blue with a big star in the middle. Very American.* The man with the shield looked bewildered, seeing how Dany looked. Her usual copper, curly hair was matted and sticking up in all directions. Her amber-colored eyes glowed almost menacingly as she watched them. Her light brown skin was covered in layers of dirt and grime. It was obvious she was in good shape, but remained a rather slender appearance. He could see her nails, colored a bright silver, longer and sharper than any human's nails. Dany had her fingers angled in a way as if she were to scratch someone who came too close. "You're scaring the animals," she continued, a growl underlying her voice. It sounded eerily similar to a wolf's. "Get off my land _now_."

"Ms. Gutierrez, we just want to talk," Eyepatch went on. "It's important."

"You humans...," she sneered. "You think I want anything to do with you? The whole reason I'm _out_ here is to get _away_ from you."

Eyepatch's eye narrowed slightly, his hands folding behind his back. His shield-wielding friend tensed slightly, angling his body in a way to prepare for any attacks. Dany couldn't say she wasn't a bit peeved at that. While she did _want_ to attack them, she wanted to see what would happen if she reacted somewhat _human_ first.

"We understand you have a dark history with humans," Eyepatch went on, "but what's going on now, it goes beyond whatever grudge you might have."

Dany simply snorted in response. "The last human who approached me asking for my help, ended up locking me in a lab," she growled. "Whatever you want from me, you're not getting it."

"Ms. Gutierrez, the world is in danger," Eyepatch went on. "Humanity is currently facing a threat they can't battle alone. We need as much help as we can possibly get."

"I told you I'm not helping."

"Your mutations could help bring the world back into an era of peace." Eyepatch watched Dany's reactions, seeing a whole array of emotions swirling in her amber eyes. "If you join me, you won't have to save the world for humanity's sake. You can do it for this, the wilderness you call home."

"Was that your attempt to win me over?" Dany grumbled.

"If that's what you want to call it, then yes." A hint of a smirk came across Eyepatch's face. "Are you willing to listen to what I have to say?"

Letting out a humph, Dany decided to listen. Her need to argue with them would only prolong their little meeting.

"I'm putting together a team of remarkable people," he started, "people who will be able to fight the battles we never could. These individuals are the strongest, smartest, most lethal."

"Does this little team have a name?" Dany asked.

"This little group falls under the Avengers Initiative," Eyepatch responded. "I'd like to offer you a position under it."

An almost wild smirk came across Dany's face. "You humans must be truly out of your minds if you think I'd lift a finger for you," she snickered.

With a nod, Eyepatch took a step forward, a solemn expression coming across his features as he regarded her. "I might know of a way to get you to help us," he replied, sounding almost too casual for her liking.

That simple statement was enough to make Dany's blood run cold.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

In all of Dany's long life, she'd only come close to killing someone _twice_. Both times had been difficult, almost painful, for her; but she managed to refrain from doing any harm. Neither of those times, however, measured to the feeling of animalistic rage that surged through Dany's body in that moment. The _second_ Eyepatch finished what he was saying, what he believed would convince her to help, every part of Dany was screaming to attack, to rip him apart. It took a lot of effort to not do that. She could see the smugness glittering in Eyepatche's eye; the confusion on his shield-wielding friend's face when he didn't hear what had been said.

"Are you blackmailing me?" Dany snarled, her fingers twitching, wanting desperately to sink into something.

"Consider it what you want," Eyepatch went on, "but the world's in danger, and I figured that'd be enough to convince you to join."

"The world is _always_ in danger. Your little Avengers can't stop every single bad guy around the globe."

"You're probably right," he said. "But like I said, this one goes beyond our ability to fight back. That's why the Avengers Initiative is so important. It gives the people I gather the power to fight the battles humans never could."

Dany didn't respond. She was still struggling with keeping herself together.

"If you choose to come with me, you don't have to fight this battle for humans," Eyepatch said. "Do it for the wilderness and the animals. Do it for your son."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Not the best second chapter, but I'm hoping you guys found it at least tolerable. If there's anything in here that you think needs improvement, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'd appreciate whatever constructive criticism you guys have.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs/subplots, then PM me or leave a review.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Vienna Lane**


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